The present invention relates generally to container products and specifically to a stackable articulated carton tray apparatus for flat food products, particularly pizza pies, capable of being stacked in multiple quantities upon one another such that the bottom panel of an upper carton apparatus forms the cover for the adjacent lower carton apparatus. The present invention is constructed so that multiple carton apparata may be joined to one another in a manner which prevents the shifting and separation of the stacked carton apparata during transport to thereby enable the packaging of multiple pizza pies without the expense and labor incurred in providing each pizza pie with its own complete wrapper.
It has long been popular for restaurants to make pizza pies available to the consumer for consumption outside of the restaurant environment by providing both a "carry-out" service where customers may pick up a pizza from the eating establishment and by providing delivery whereby pizza pies are brought directly to the consumer's home or office. In both instances it is desirable to package each individual pizza in a wrapper to protect it during transport and to retain its warmth. Such packaging typically varies from merely placing pizzas held on round cardboard circles into paper bags which are stapled closed, to the present popular use of cardboard cartons constructed to prevent crushing of the pizza, particularly when such cartons are stacked, and to better prevent heat loss while on route to the consumer.
A recent marketing trend in the carry-out/delivery pizza industry is to market and promote the sale of several pizza pies for a total price which may be less than would normally be charged for several individual pizzas. It is also increasingly common that the consumer often purchases more than one pizza at a time, as in urban office environments where multiple pizza pies may be ordered for delivery to the office for parties, overtime meals and the like. As a result, it is often necessary to package each pizza in its own complete wrapper nothwithstanding the fact that more than one pizza is being purchased by a customer.
One particular prior art container patented by the present assignee comprises an octagonal shaped container for pizza pies constructed as a shallow carton formed from a one-piece paperboard blank having an integral octagonal bottom, side walls and attached octagonal top as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,534. While the container disclosed therein, and as otherwise utilized by the food industry, serves its purpose well when used in connection with the provision of single pizzas, such prior art containers may be economically unefficient in instances where multiple pizza pies are purchased by a single customer. When providing multiple pizza pies it is still desirable that each be wrapped in a container which prevents crushing and heat loss and accordingly, it is necessary that each container have a bottom, sides and top--preferably through more economical means.
Unfortunately, the use of most prior art containers in such circumstances results in the duplication of packaging material with the added expense of providing complete containers for each pizza pie and the added instability of stacked unsecured cartons in the customer's automobile or the delivery vehicle.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a stackable articulated carton apparatus for flat food products, particularly pizza pies, which is capable of being effectively stacked, with improved reinforcement against collapse, in multiple quantities upon one another, such that the bottom panel of an upper carton apparatus forms the cover for the adjacent lower carton apparatus thereby omitting the use of a separate cover and resultant additional material expense for the lower cartons.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a carton apparatus which may be joined in a multiple stacked configuration in a manner so as to prevent the shifting and separation of the stacked carton apparata during transport to or by the consumer.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a carton tray apparatus which enables the packaging of multiple pizza pies without the expense and labor incurred in providing each pizza pie with its own complete wrapper.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a carton tray apparatus which is hexagonal or octagonal in shape, among other shapes with at least one reinforced diagonal corner, preventing shifting of the pizza pie contained therewithin--while minimizing the amount of container material required by same.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a carton tray apparatus constructed by articulation of a blank formed from a substantially continuous sheet of corrugated cardboard material providing for ease of manufacture, assembly, articulation, shipping and inventorying, while resulting in cost savings to the users of same.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a carton apparatus which utilizes a single detached cover panel for sealing the uppermost stacked carton apparatus thereby saving the expense of utilizing increasingly costly paperboard stock.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in light of the present specification and drawings.